LONDON: The European Commission has taken significant steps to be better prepared for future global health emergencies by securing deals with Pfizer and several European drug manufacturers.
Under the agreement, the European Commission has reserved the capacity to produce up to 325 million vaccines per year, encompassing mRNA, vector-based, and protein-based vaccines. Importantly, these deals are independent of the existing COVID-19 vaccine agreements between the EU and vaccine makers, including the agreement with U.S.-based Pfizer.
The European Commission emphasized the necessity of bolstering Europe’s readiness for potential future health crises. Through this agreement, pharmaceutical companies commit to maintaining their facilities and closely monitoring their supply chains, even stockpiling when necessary, to ensure a swift response in case of a new public health emergency. In such a situation, companies will be prepared to rapidly initiate vaccine production.
While the agreement aims to enhance preparedness, vaccine equity activists have expressed concerns over a potential repetition of what the World Health Organization referred to as “vaccine apartheid” during the COVID-19 pandemic. Activists from the People’s Vaccine Alliance emphasized that during the pandemic, developing countries were left at the back of the queue for vaccines and treatments, and they fear similar disparities may occur in the future.
Pfizer’s to Produce mRNA Vaccines
As part of the deal, Pfizer’s facilities in Ireland and Belgium have been selected to reserve capacity for producing mRNA vaccines. Additionally, Spanish companies Reig Jofre and Laboratorios Hipra SA will reserve capacity for protein-based vaccines, while Bilthoven Biologicals B.V. of the Netherlands will do so for vector-based vaccines.
Pfizer expressed understanding of the urgency for pandemic preparedness and response planning and stated that it has taken significant measures to be ready for potential future global disease outbreaks. However, the specific details of these measures were not disclosed by the company.
In a move towards equitable distribution, the World Health Organization has been urging governments and vaccine manufacturers to reserve up to 20% of any tests, vaccines, or treatments for global distribution in poorer countries. This approach aims to avoid a repetition of the “catastrophic failure” witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic. A draft of a global pandemic agreement is currently being discussed to address this issue.
The European Commission’s proactive measures with pharmaceutical companies underscore the importance of being prepared for future health crises while also recognizing the need for equitable distribution of vaccines on a global scale.
